The Youngest Holmes
by LydiaLuvsPretzels
Summary: Corwin left home, and her brothers, when she was eighteen. Its been years and years, and now she wants to finally stop the pain she's been causing them. She hasn't told them anything, or seen them, since a week after her eighteenth birthday. Now, she's ready to go home and finally see her brothers who she's been keeping tabs on. Corwin is finally going to see Sherlock and Mycroft.
1. Chapter 1

My schedule outside of work was pretty routine. Everyday, after I got home, as I waited for my dinner to arrive, I would open up my laptop, boot up Google, and when it was loaded, type in the name of a person I wanted to be sure was safe, and alright. Everyday, I googled Sherlock Holmes. And today was no different.

"Yeah, Jemma, I'm just taking some time off to go check in on my family." I told my best friend over the phone. "You could come with me. My offer still stands."

"No, you know I've still got a report due. Maybe I can fly out to London after Christmas to see you." She replied.

"Oh come on, the report isn't due until the end of January, I don't see why you're so keen to have it finished." I told her as I set the phone on speaker and set it down next to my computer. I typed in Sherlock Holmes and hit the enter button. It took a minute for the data to load.

"Because the sooner I get it in, the sooner I have time just to my science." She retorted and I rolled my eyes at her. Of course.

"I just rolled my eyes at you, since you can't see me." I stood and walked away from the computer, phone in my hand and walked to my bedroom where my suitcase was all loaded up and my garment bag had a few of my nicer dresses inside, were both on my bed.

Jemma laughed at me through the phone. "I'll just meet you there after Christmas, you can tell me all about how it goes."

"Fine," There was a _knock knock knock_ at the door and I smiled. "Okay, gotta go, my dinner's here."

"Alright, bye Cor." Jemma said and hung up. I walked to the door, grabbed my pizza from the delivery boy and paid him, then went back to my computer where the results had already loaded. I scrolled through them, making sure that nothing had happened to him. Even though I knew nothing would come up about the elder Mister Holmes, I searched through for his name as well.

Once I was satisfied that nothing had happened to either of them, I closed down the tab and closed my laptop, leaning back and flicking on my television. I ate my pizza while I watched old reruns of Bones and Criminal Minds, while I thought about what was to come, and the pain and grief I'd caused those who I wished to not do any more. It'd been many years, and doing them pain the entire time. I wanted that to stop.

Soon, I ended up starting to doze off as they opened up human remains on the screen. I thought about what I was going to do when I got to London tomorrow, or the day after. It would be Christmas in three days and that's when I would finally stop looking up Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes and finally go and see them.

I would finally go see my brothers, because I, am Corwin Holmes.

* * *

JFK Airport was packed that morning, as I navigated through the throngs of people with my carry on bag towards my gate. I stepped onto the conveyer to avoid the more pushy people, and let out a heavy breath. It was busy, as always. I didn't want to miss my plane. When I stepped off, I hurried along with everyone else, checking gate numbers as I went. I turned my head to the correct gate and moved towards it, I hit something and stumbled backwards.

"Apologies, ma'am," Said a man's voice with something familiar in his voice, an accent similar to my own. I looked up to a handsome man with dark hair and green eyes.

"No, it, uh, I wasn't looking where I was going," I explained. "You're English?"

"You are as well, I take it?" He responded.

"Yes, I didn't expect to see an Englishman on this plane, just tourists." I replied, looking towards the gate.

"How'd you know I was on this plane? I could be on another." He questioned and I looked down and back up at him.

"It's a, uh, family thing. Keen observation skills." I told him and he smiled.

"Well, care to get a coffee with me. It might be terrible, but, it's something to do." He offered.

"The coffee, or the company?" I asked, feeling cheeky.

He laughed, "The coffee. I'm not that bad."

"I don't even know your name," I commented. "And you don't know mine."

"Sebastian." He held out a hand.

"Corwin." I shook his outstretched hand.


	2. Chapter 2

I stepped off the plane and walked towards the gate. Sebastian walked with me. We chatted as we waited for our bags to come off the carousel. When his suitcase came first, I expected Sebastian to leave with a kind goodbye and a smile. But he came back to stand next to me and waited till my suitcase and garment bag came around, I grabbed it. Sebastian and I walked towards the exit and stepped out into the London air. I breathed it in, it smelled like home.

"Like the smell?" Sebastian teased.

"It smells like home." I told him, making him crack a smile.

"Home?" He asked.

"I left home when I was eighteen." I explained, looking away from him. "Ran away. Never went home, this is the first time since I was eighteen."

"Then why are you coming back now?" He asked.

"I've caused enough pain. And it's Christmas, what better present could I give them?" I responded, finally looking him in the eye. He smiled.

"That seems like a wonderful present, Cor." He complimented, and I gave him a smile.

"Thank you," I looked back to the cabs milling around and smiled back at Sebastian. "I should probably go, check in to my, uh, hotel, but..." I frowned.

His eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "But what?"

"I'm being too forward, never mind." I said and looked back towards the cabs.

"You've got me curious now, what would be too forward?" He asked and I looked back at him and surveyed his face.

"Good, if I've got your curiosity, you'll come looking for me." I backed away towards the cabs. "Sebastian, if you want to know, find me. Corwin Turner." I grabbed the handle of one of the cabs and opened it. I put my garment bag inside, leaning across to the other window and hanging it on the hook. The cabbie popped the trunk and I walked over and opened it. Sebastian came over and helped me lift the suitcase inside the trunk. We closed it together, then he fenced me in against the trunk.

"I want to know now." He demanded.

"Mm, I bet you do." I twisted away from him. "But you'll have to find me. You'd have no incentive otherwise." I slid into the cab, rolling down the window. He came to the window and leaned down.

"How could I possibly do that?" He asked.

"Use your military connections." I suggested. "Or a private investigator. You have my name."

"But-"

I smiled, rolled up the window and told the cabbie the address. And I left him standing on the curb, wondering and hoping.

* * *

My hotel room was on the nineteenth floor and had a beautiful view of downtown London. I could see the Eye, and the Thames, and Big Ben from the balcony. The bedroom had it's own room, as well as the bathroom. There was a living room in the front of the room where you came into through the door. I smiled at it. This would do just fine. At least till my brothers came to terms with me not being missing or even dead. Who knows what they think, I was even sure to change my name.

As I leaned on the balcony railing, I thought about Sebastian. I really wanted to see him again. I really did. He was kind, and sweet, and because of my, er, keen observation skills, I knew a lot more about him than I had any right to. But still, I wanted to learn what I could without cheating. And if he couldn't find me, well, I knew how I could find him.

I walked back inside and opened my garment bag. The dress at the front was an all white one I had bought for this specific occasion. The bodice was fitted and the skirt was flared, when I had tried it on, I had known it was the dress I had to wear on Christmas when I saw my brothers. It's been years. I remembered that day.

* * *

 _"Corry, you are not going anywhere!" Mycroft shouted. He grabbed my arm and my bag fell from my shoulder to my elbow._

 _"No! Let me go, Mycroft! You can't stop me, I am a legal adult, have been for a week, you can't make me stay!" I shouted, ripping my arm free._

 _"You can't stop her and you know it, brother." Sherlock's voice came from the doorway behind us. I looked at my brother and sucked in a breath to hold back to tears. I didn't expect Sherlock to care. He'd always been so withdrawn and emotionless. This was him showing he didn't want me to go._

 _"Exactly. Sherlock is right. As always." I growled, pulling the duffel back onto my shoulder._

 _They both stared at me and I bit my tongue. Tears sprang to my eyes and I pushed them back. Mum and Dad were out. Mycroft and Sherlock would have to tell them. I'd take my car. They couldn't stop me from leaving. They knew that._

 _I turned away from them and opened the door. "Corwin." Mycroft said. I turned back. "Don't go, please."_

 _"I have to. I can't stay here." A tear fell down my cheek. "I'll miss you both." I looked at Mycroft, then at Sherlock. Who wouldn't look me in the eye. He muttered something I couldn't hear, but I could read his lips. Sentiment. He never did think it was important._

 _I opened the door and walked out. My hands shook as I opened my car door and climbed in. I didn't know where to go. I just wanted out. As I drove down the streets, at first with no real sense of direction, then I started recognizing where I was going. It was to Tilly's house. Tilly was my best friend and she lived with her aunt in a small apartment. I didn't have anywhere else to go right now._

 _Once out front of Tilly's building, I grabbed all my stuff and walked to the door. I took the elevator up to the top floor and walked to her apartment, tears falling down my face while I silently cried. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay, but it just wasn't going to happen. As I raised my fist to knock on the door, I let out a sob._

 _Tilly was at the door moments later and when she saw me, she pulled me into a hug and inside. "What happened, Cor?" She asked._

 _"I left. I finally left and I'm never going back." I let out another sob._

 _"It'll be alright," She promised._

* * *

As the memory faded away, I sighed and went inside. I fell back on the bed and closed my eyes. This would be difficult.


	3. Chapter 3

It was Christmas Eve and I was out shopping. I hadn't done any shopping back in New York, hadn't thought I needed to, the only person I'd be shopping for was Jemma, and she'd never told me what she wanted, I was giving my brothers me not being dead as a gift, but I felt that I needed to do something else for them. Like get them an actual gift they could hold. Sentimental. I didn't care that they wouldn't appreciate the sentiment behind it. It's my thoughts that count in this case.

I talked with Jemma on the phone while I shopped for my brothers presents. I'd already bought hers, it was in a bag in my hand. In my other hand I held my cell to my ear, chatting away to her as she tried to advise me in what to give my brothers for Christmas besides me not being dead.

"I just haven't seen them in so many years, Jem, I don't even know what they're like anymore!" I complained as I entered another shop.

"Really?" She teased, I could hear it in her voice.

"Yes, really! I was eighteen when I last saw them and they were both total snot rags. Well, Mycroft at least outwardly showed that he cared that I was leaving. Sherlock was an indifferent little prick about it." I told her and I heard her laugh.

"You, who checks his google results everyday after work?" I grit my teeth and wanted to glare at her, but couldn't because of not being able to actually see her.

"Would you stop making fun of me and actually help me find something for them?" I retorted. One thing I enjoyed about being back in London was that no one did a double take when they heard me speak, because they all sounded like me.

As I continued to wander, having extreme difficulty finding something, Jemma instructed me on what to get a guy, the kinds of things they would or wouldn't appreciate. She told me that because Sherlock was more sciencey like her and our other friend Leo, it should be something closely related to that subject, or something to help with his investigating, while Mycroft would be more likely to appreciate something elegant or that wouldn't be used in the same way, like a pocket watch or something to put on a mantel.

I found a book about the ancient culture of the mayans, specifically why they ended up dying out, for Sherlock, and a very nice pocket watch for Mycroft. When they were both gift wrapped with a bow and a tag reading the typical to and from sticker, I went back to my hotel and found a note stuck in the key card slot. Curious, and a little bit suspicious, I pulled it out and opened it in the hall. Inside, it was addressed to me and was written in elegant script. It read;

 _Corwin, I understand that tomorrow is a big day for you, but if you are still around on the twenty-seventh of December, I would love to meet up with you at the address listed below. It is a wonderful restaurant, but don't dress up, it isn't like that, and it isn't a date. Unless you want it to be. Sebastian._

I smiled. He had found me, and it didn't take as long as I expected. The address that he had written down was one I recognized from my teenhood, and I had forgotten him much I had enjoyed it, and wanted to go back. I would surely be meeting Sebastian there on that day.

Once inside, I set the gifts down on the table and changed into my pajamas. Tomorrow was going to be a big day and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it. Would they be happy to see me? Angry? Surprised for sure, but what else? Would they yell? Would they cry? That'd be a sight. Would they kick me out, or would they make an effort to integrate me back into their lives? I wouldn't know till I saw them.

In the morning I had an appointment to get my hair done so it would look good when I saw them. I also had a mani/pedi scheduled too. I did want to look my best. Besides, if someone professional did it, it would look ten times better than if I did it myself.

As I settled into bed to sleep, I pondered what my life would be like if I had pushed through and stayed. So different. Would I have been happy, or would I have been sad? What would my life and relationships with my brothers be like? I wouldn't have my job, which I loved, and I wouldn't know Jemma or Leo. Would it have been worth it?

The last thought lingered as I drifted into slumber.


	4. Chapter 4

My stomach was fluttering with nerves uncontrollably as I rode in the cab to 221b Baker Street where I knew Sherlock lived. I didn't know if Mycroft would be there, I hoped, but there was no guarantee, and I had been an instrumental part in keeping them together, and close, so without me there, what would have happened to them? I almost didn't want to know. All that mattered right now, was whether or not both my brothers were home. I had this gut feeling that Mycroft wouldn't be there right away, but might arrive later on.

When the cabbie stopped, I paid him and slid out of the cab. I stood in front of the door, calming myself down and getting ready to knock. I took a deep breath and raised my hand to the knocker, knocking it three times and tucking my hands back into my pockets. I waited anxiously for someone to come and answer the door. It took a minute before the door opened and an elderly lady stood in the doorway. "Hello, dear, can I help you with something?" She asked.

"Uhm, I believe so. Does Sherlock Holmes live here?" I asked.

"Yes, do you have a case for him?" She asked.

"Of a sort, may I ask your name?" I told her, and she gestured me inside from the cold.

"I'm Mrs. Hudson, what can I call you?" She lead me into a small kitchen/dining room. I sat down across from her at the small table.

"Corwin, and there's something I will have to explain to you before I see Sherlock, if that's alright. And I promise you now, nothing I tell you is a lie." She gave me a curious look, as if wary of what I might say. She could be scared of what I might tell her, like if I was here to harm everyone.

* * *

Mrs. Hudson was a little giddy about the whole idea of me being the missing and unknown Holmes sibling, and couldn't stop smiling as she lead me upstairs where everyone was gathering. I could hear the light conversation and soft Christmas music coming from the room. Mrs. Hudson smiled at me once more before heading in through the doorway, I hesitated, waiting till the conversation died off before entering the room and looking at Sherlock, who was listening intently to his landlady.

"Oh, Sherlock, and you're going to love it." Mrs. Hudson said and gestured to me. I gave a small smile as Sherlock's analyzing eyes landed on me, looking at me. When his eyes reached my face, he froze in immediate recognition. I smiled bigger.

"Hey, Sherly, long time, no see." Sherlock didn't react to my words. He just stared at me. A small man standing next to him looked between us quizzically.

"I don't- Sherlock what's going on? Who is she?" He asked.

I smiled at the man. "My name is Corwin, I presume your John Watson?" He nodded slowly, his face contorting into confusion. "Nice to meet you, I'm Sherlock's little sister." I decided against extending my hand for him to shake. Everyone in the room went deathly quiet as soon as the words left my mouth. Sherlock didn't tell them. Of course not.

"Sister? Sherlock's-? He never mentioned that he had a sister, you weren't at the funeral." John told me and I felt my head fall.

"I'm afraid I was tied up with work at the moment. I wanted to come, but by the time I was free, there was no point. I visited the grave when I could, but no, I wasn't at the funeral. I didn't expect him to say anything about me. I knew they thought I was dead." I explained.

"Sherlock, are you alright?" John asked him, ignoring me again.

"I'm fine, John." He shook John off and stared at me.

"I'm really sorry, you know why I left, and I knew that I couldn't reach out or things would go spiralling down, and I know this is out of the blue, but I just couldn't stand having caused you all so much pain, whether you admit it or not, you know I'm more observant than that, and it was time for the pain to stop." I took a deep breath and held up the wrapped book. "I bought you a present. You don't have to open it now, but I thought it would be better than just expecting me to be a good enough present and I'm just so-"

My breath was knocked out of me as Sherlock wrapped me in a hug. Tears sprang to my eyes, as I hugged back and was comforted in this. I hadn't had a hug from one of my brothers since we were really little. "I'm sorry, Sherly, I'm really, really sorry." I muttered into his chest as he hugged me. His grip tightened around me.

"It's fine, it's fine." Sherlock muttered back low enough that only I could hear him. I hugged him tighter and revelled in the moment before it would end. If the meeting with Sherlock went this well, I couldn't help but think that my reunion with Mycroft couldn't help but go well.

I heard mutters of confusion from around us but couldn't be bothered with it. This was something I hadn't been able to enjoy since I was a little girl, and I was going to enjoy every moment of it. Sherlock pulled back and smiled down at me, the soft smile that I remembered seeing in school before he would correct the teacher and tell him that his wife was cheating on him with the principal. Although, that mischievous glint in his eye wasn't as prominent.

"Sherlock, we need to talk-" I turned to the doorway where Mycroft was standing, once more frozen in immediate recognition.

"Hey, Mycie." I said, tears still in my eyes. "I bought you a Christmas present." I held up the box with pocket watch inside.

Mycroft's face hardened, his jaw tightening and his eyes clouding over in anger. This wasn't going to go the way I wanted it to.


	5. Chapter 5

I sat in the hotel restaurant, mulling over a drink and a bowl of fruit. They didn't really go together, but right now, I didn't really care all that much. Let's just say, that in simple terms, the reunion with Mycroft hadn't gone as well as it had with Sherlock, which isn't something I'd been expecting. I'd left the presents, and I knew that at least Sherlock would be grateful. It was some consolation to how things went yesterday.

Jemma had called this morning and said she would be here for dinner, and that we would be going out together. She would tell me everything that had happened at work in the days since I'd been gone, and I would tell her how horribly it went with Mycroft and how well it went with Sherlock. I hadn't expected that turn of events, if I was being honest with myself.

My elbows came up to rest on the table after I set the drink down and I put my head in my hands. I didn't exactly want things to go this way, I'd been hoping that they'd both be happy, if not a little miffed that I had left and let them believe that I was dead. I knew that what I done was a horrible, horrible thing to do to them, but it just... I couldn't stay there. They both knew my reasoning and they both knew that it wasn't an option anymore. I was toxic, and sick. And staying there, was making it worse. I needed a fresh start and no one understood that.

When I started high school, in the eyes of my peers, my keen observation skills became less of a cool trick and more of a thing to be mocked for. They'd been relentless, and they mocked my brothers too, Sherlock and Mycroft had always been able to distance themselves from it, not let it go to their heads, because with boys, it was just that they got beat up, but with the girls, they mocked me not only on my observational skills, but just about everything else they could find to mock me on. I got depressed. I started cutting. And I hid it from my parents and from my brothers. They noticed the depression of course, that was hard to hide, especially from them.

After they found out, they told mum and dad, and they sent me to the hospital, and to therapy, but that didn't help, there was nothing they could do to stop the mocking, and the medication didn't help, just clouded my mind. So I stopped taking them. The cutting helped. The pain. It could make me forget, even for a moment, of everything they did, everything they said. One night, Mycroft came into my room to see if I was alright, he was considerate that way sometimes, and saw me in the act of cutting a new line across my arm. He just stared at me, even as the blood began to pool from the cut. He got angry, he got concerned, and he cleaned me up and took away the razor.

Then he told mum and dad. They were angry too, and more concerned. The only one who didn't react to it, was Sherlock. I suspected he understood a lot more than he ever let on. Maybe he'd known for a while, but hadn't said anything because he didn't want me to know that he knew. They sent me to more therapy. But what they didn't understand was that if it hadn't helped before, why would it suddenly start working now? They made sure I had nothing to cut myself with, but that didn't stop me when they were all out, or Sherlock was doing his mind palace and I was able to sneak past him easily. They checked, Mycroft, mum, often to be sure that there weren't any more cuts, but there always were.

It continued on for most of high school. The principals and teachers were told of the situation, but in reality, that didn't do much, because the teachers weren't always there to see them, they weren't always there to stop them. I turned eighteen two weeks after graduation. Sherlock graduated top of his class, no surprise there, and I was close behind him. I never stopped trying, I knew that failing wouldn't help anything any more. What friends I had drifted away from me, except Tilly, who was always there. After I turned eighteen, I started to pack and make plans to leave. I knew that if I left, if I started over somewhere else, than I would be able to start moving past this. And it worked, fantastically. As soon as I got to New York, the abuse stopped and I felt better.

Within the next two years, I was able to stop cutting, and I got a job as a barista, and I met Jemma, we went to Uni together, a special school she was able to help get me into, and then we both moved on to get a job together with another friend, Leo. It was great. A year later they discovered my scars and I told them the whole truth. They were both also from abroad, Jemma was English as I was, and Leo was Scottish, so they knew a lot about where I'd grown up, the school, the kids. More than anyone else we worked with. It felt, _good_ , to tell them, to get it off my chest. And I was glad.

I looked up as a body slid in front of me at the table. Tilly. I smiled. She hadn't changed a bit! Her hair was still long and blonde, her eyes still dark, chestnut brown, her russet skin still dotted in millions of moles and freckles. "Hey, Cor, how's things?" She asked. We stood and hugged, then sat back down.

"Things are better, I saw them, yesterday night. Sherlock was happy, he even hugged me. Hasn't done that since we were little kids. Mycroft on the hand... Not so much." I explained. She laughed lightly.

"That's surprising." She held out her hand, a beautiful diamond ring graced her finger. I gasped.

"My, God, Tilly, you're engaged?" She nodded enthusiastically. "To who?"

"A guy I met in Uni, his name is James, and he is a total sweetheart. Super smart too, like you, but not observant like you. He's from Germany, I love his accent, it's so different." She told me and I couldn't help but be so happy for her.

"When is the wedding?" I asked.

"The fall, and I have a question for you. Are you staying, in London? For good?" She gave me these quizzical eyes.

"I don't know. But I am definitely staying until the fall." She gave me a massive smile. "If, of course, I'm invited to the wedding."

"Of course you are! I was kind of hoping that you'd be my maid of honour." I gasped, I could hardly believe it.

"Yes, yes, I will be your maid of honour. Definitely. For sure. No way I'd miss it, oh Tilly, I'm so happy for you." I beamed and for a moment, I forgot about Mycroft and Sherlock and all the problems going on right now. Everything just faded away for this moment.

"I want you to meet him, James, tomorrow, for dinner?" She asked.

"I, uh, actually can't. I've a date..." She got excited.

"A date, oh with who?" She asked.

"A guy I met on the plane, and it isn't technically a date, he said that it wasn't unless I wanted it to be, but I do want it to be, so it is, I guess. I dunno." I told her, and couldn't stop smiling.

"Well? What's his name?"

"Sebastian, and he's so kind, and so... I dunno, he's just, we're so compatible, in a way, we just get on so well." I explained and she was beaming at me.

"I'm so happy for you, Cor." She said and squeezed my hand. "So, Sherlock was happy to see his twin sister?"

"Yeah, I don't think the others knew about that little tidbit of information." I told him. "So I just introduced myself as his little sister, which is technically true, I mean he is twelve minutes older than me." Tilly laughed and I smiled. It had been a long time since we'd just sat down and talked. I'd missed this.

* * *

 **Shoutout to whoever can guess where Corwin works. Hint, I've mentioned names, and little things, and it isn't in this fandom, it's in another. So yeah, if you can guess that, I will give you a shoutout. Good luck to you!**


	6. Chapter 6

December twenty seventh came earlier than I expected it.

Of course, that's a bit confusing to you. When I was sitting at a table eating fruit and having a drink, the previous day, it felt as though I had eons till I had to get ready to see Sebastian again, something that while I was excited for, I was also really, really nervous for it as well. I didn't know what I wanted to wear, even though I had basically brought my whole wardrobe with me. What was something else, what if the Sebastian I met on the plane, wasn't the man I was meeting today?

Regardless of my worries, I got dressed, pulled a white leather jacket on over my shirt, pulled on a pair of my favourite heels, and a purse, then headed out the door. As I had no car, I was still bargaining with my boss, I hailed a cab and told the cabbie the address. The closer we got to my destination, the bigger the pool of anxiety in my stomach grew. When I had finally paid the cabbie and watched it drive off, I stood for a few minutes, staring at the front door. Oh dear god, was this a mistake?

Then I thought, why am I, Corwin Holmes, nervous for a date? I could - and have - take down a man twice my size and with a level of abilities over my head, with just my words. I didn't have to touch him at all, and he backed off. Sebastian was a good guy, he wanted to get to know me, and I wanted to get to know him. There was no reason I should be standing here, talking myself out of this when I have been looking forward to this, for days.

So I steeled my nerves, and walked in the front door. I glanced around at all the tables and spotted Sebastian, in a small booth near the back. I made my way over to him and smiled back happily when he smiled upon seeing me. Why was I even nervous? This wasn't a bad thing, this wasn't anything like some of the situations, and people, I've had to face. I slid into the booth across from him and all of sudden could not keep the smile off my face.

"I had a dreadful time tracking you down, Corwin." Sebastian said, causing me to smile bigger.

"Part of my job is barely existing." I explained, giving myself an air of mystery. I wasn't allowed to tell anyone about my job, technically, but as long as I didn't go into specifics, I'd be fine.

"Is that so?" He asked, curiosity written across his face in big bold letters. "Tell me more."

"I'm afraid that I can't. Another part of my job." He sat back and narrowed his eyes, studying me. "But I'm sure, that no matter how dreadful, finding me was worth it in the end?"

"Definitely." He answered. "And seeing you now makes it all worth it."

A slight heat rose in my cheeks at these words. Let's just say it's been a long time since I went on a proper date. "And I'm sure you can ask the question that's on your mind."

"How did you-? Keen observation skills?" He asked. I nodded. He studied me for a moment longer.

"Come on, out with it."

"What was it you were going to say, at the airport? You started, then stopped, stating you were being too forward, then used my curiosity as incentive to find you. Which I would have done either way." He asked finally.

"Ah, I knew it." I paused. "Let's just say that we wouldn't be here right now if I had been forward."

"I don't believe that."

"I do."

"Enlighten me."

"I was about to ask for your phone number, but of course, being the gentleman you are, you wouldn't have asked me out on a date so soon." I explained. "Which was, admittedly, part of my plan."

"How?" I just tapped beside my right eye with mu index finger. "I would have asked you on a date, regardless, you know."

"I do. But, it would have taken longer, which, if you recall, I said was part of my plan."

"Plan?"

"To see if you really wanted to get to know me. If you did, you'd find me quickly, and this path would have taken us right here. But if you didn't, I either wouldn't have heard from you for a long time, or ever. Now I know that you really want to get to know me and see where this takes us." He stared at me in something that resembled awe. That was something I missed. Most people got used to my ability. It was part of the reason I got my job.

"I see. So are we going to order dinner or am I going to be left in stunned silence at your marvelous abilities?" Sebastian asked.

"I think we can do a little of both."

* * *

 **Congratulations to _the-goblet-of-deduction_! Good job, you guessed it. And she isn't a scientist exclusively, she's sort of a liaison, and a consultant, someone that gets brought along for her skills. She also works with FitzSimmons when she isn't liaising or consulting. **


End file.
